5th Sunday in Lent Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace and peace to you  from the one who calls us out of death to new life. Amen   “You shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live…”   This is what God does.   God brings life out of death. This is the glory of God.   Next week we enter Holy We

4th Sunday in Lent 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace and peace to you from the one who looks on the heart amen.   “How long will you grieve over Saul?”  the Lord asks the prophet Samuel at the beginning of our first reading for today,   God has removed favor from Saul as king of Israel  and is preparing to anoint another, and Samuel is having a hard time making the transition.    Which is kind of

Third Sunday in Lent Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 95 Romans 5:1-11 John 4:5-42 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,  grace and peace to you from the Word who offers us living water. Amen   What is baptism?   Luther poses the question in his Small Catechism  and responds with: Baptism is not simply plain water. Instead, it is water used according to God’s command and connected with God’s word.   Water and word,  the two parts that make up the sacrament of baptism  (reme

Second Sunday in Lent Genesis 12:1-4 Psalm 121 Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,  grace and peace to you  from the one who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist Amen.   Today we begin our time with four gospel stories from John  that the early church used to help prepare new Christians for baptism. Today we start with the story of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night where Jesus tells him,

2nd Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40:1-11 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,  grace and peace to you from the one who is faithful Amen.   “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done;  there is nothing new under the sun.”  proclaims the Teacher in Ecclesiastes (1:9),  often quoted in times of turmoil,   sometimes as an expression of despair-  there is nothing new under the sun, why d

2nd Sunday of Christmas Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147:12-20 Ephesians 1:3-14 John 1:1-18 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace and peace to you from the one who is both vast and intimate Amen   Merry Christmas! I know, it may not feel like Christmas anymore, Especially since the hope for peace on earth Has been shattered once again. As we struggle to understand And Wonder what to say And Pray for those in Venezuela  Christmas feels like it is over.   And yet

Reformation Sunday Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 46 Romans 3:19-28 John 8:31-36   Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ grace and peace to you from the one who is our refuge and strength. Amen   Two questions   Two questions always seem to arise in the midst of tumult   Where is God? And What do I do?   When the earth moves beneath our feet whether literally or metaphorically, especially when things as seemingly solid as mountains tremble, we cannot help but respond  

Holy Trinity Sunday Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Psalm 8 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,  grace...

Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts 16:9-15 Psalm 67 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 John 14:23-29 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,...

Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 9:36-43 Psalm 23 Revelation 7:9-17 John 10:22-30 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace...

Third Sunday of Easter Acts 9:1-20 Psalm 30 Revelation 5:11-14 John 21:1-19 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace...

Second Sunday of Easter Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 118:14-29 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,...

Acts 10:34-43 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 John 20:1-18 Alleluia, Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen indeed, Alleluia!   It...

Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14 Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31-35 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel...

Fifth Sunday in Lent Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,...

Second Sunday after Epiphany Isaiah 62:1-5 Psalm 36:5-10 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 John 2:1-11 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus...

Second Sunday of Christmas Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147:12-20 Ephesians 1:3-14 John 1:1-18 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus...

All Saints Sunday Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 24 Revelation 21:1-6a John 11:32-44 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, grace and...

Reformation Sunday Jeremiah 31:31-34 Psalm 46 Romans 3:19-28 John 8:31-36 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ,  grace and...

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18 Psalm 34:15-22 Ephesians 6:10-20 John 6:56-69 Dear fellow ministers of the gospel...